Understanding potential implications for non‑trophic parasite transmission based on vertebrate behavior at mesocarnivore carcass sites
Metadatos
Afficher la notice complèteEditorial
Springer
Materia
Carnivore Carrion Non-thropically transmitted parasites Sarcoptes scabiei Scavenger Wildlife
Date
2021-06-26Referencia bibliográfica
Gonzálvez, M., Martínez-Carrasco, C. & Moleón, M. Understanding potential implications for non-trophic parasite transmission based on vertebrate behavior at mesocarnivore carcass sites. Vet Res Commun (2021). [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-021-09806-2]
Patrocinador
MINECO RYC-2015-19231; Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness; European Commission CGL2017-89905-RRésumé
High infection risk is often associated with aggregations of animals around attractive resources. Here, we explore the behavior
of potential hosts of non-trophically transmitted parasites at mesocarnivore carcass sites. We used videos recorded by camera
traps at 56 red fox (Vulpes vulpes) carcasses and 10 carcasses of other wild carnivore species in three areas of southeastern
Spain. Scavenging species, especially wild canids, mustelids and viverrids, showed more frequent rubbing behavior at carcass
sites than non-scavenging and domestic species, suggesting that they could be exposed to a higher potential infection risk. The
red fox was the species that most frequently contacted carcasses and marked and rubbed carcass sites. Foxes contacted heterospecific
carcasses more frequently and earlier than conspecific ones and, when close contact occurred, it was more likely
to be observed at heterospecific carcasses. This suggests that foxes avoid contact with the type of carcass and time period that
have the greatest risk as a source of parasites. Overall, non-trophic behaviors of higher infection risk were mainly associated
with visitor-carcass contact and visitor contact with feces and urine, rather than direct contact between visitors. Moreover,
contact events between scavengers and carnivore carcasses were far more frequent than consumption events, which suggests
that scavenger behavior is more constrained by the risk of acquiring meat-borne parasites than non-trophically transmitted
parasites. This study contributes to filling key gaps in understanding the role of carrion in the landscape of disgust, which
may be especially relevant in the current global context of emerging and re-emerging pathogens.